THE ORVILLE: Greener Pastures
by Tharpdevenport
Summary: Ed and crew are on a mission, joined by another Union ship, with huge ramifications. (I'm doing what I can to try and fix things that weren't working onscreen and a little more world building).
1. Chapter 1

Ed sits in the Captain's chair, propping up his chin with the palm of a hand.

"Goddamn space is boring. Been sitting here almost a week and nothing has happened. This is nothing like _Star Trek_. The further out we go, it's just more space."

"Hence the name _space_ ," says Gordon.

Ed straightens up and leans forward, "Gordon, you must be doing something interesting. What'cha doin'?"

"Just pressing buttons."

"Ah," Ed sits back bored. "Wait – you do know what they do, right? You aren't just pressing them randomly, right?"

"Nooo," Gordon stops a finger over one, "of course not."

"Good. Keep pressing them."

"Yes, sir."

John leans over slightly to Gordon and says in a low voice, "You figured out what all these buttons do?"

"Nah, I just press them in sequences on and off so it looks like I do."

LaMarr nods his head and leans back away.

"Hell, we're even cataloging nebulas," says Ed.

John speaks up, "To be fair, sir, is probably is punishment for grabbing the Penockian leader by his penis."

"How was I supposed to know Penockians had penises on their hands?"

"Due diligent research?" John says with some sarcasm.

"I'll say this for him: he was happy to see us," says Gordon.

"Surely this nebula must be interesting. Isaac."

"Yes, sir?" Isaac replies, spinning around to face Ed.

"How goes the cataloging of the nebula?"

"It is still being catalogued."

"Good, good. Anything interesting to report?"

"No," says Isaac.

"Damnit. Oh – Bortus!" he leaps up and stops next to Bortus.

"Captain?"

"One, two, three, four – I declare a thumb war!" Ed sticks a thumb out.

"I wasn't aware thumbs were at war. Was there an official declaration?"

"It's a game, Bortus."

"War is not a game."

Ed retorts, "Then you've obviously not seen _'Wargames'_."

"Indeed I have not."

"I'll play," Alara speaks up.

"That's okay, lieutenant, I want to keep my thumb. I think I'm gonna re-name space the giant black suckhole. And so help you Gordon if you make a joke about my ex-wife."

" _My_ lips are sealed, Captain," Gordon replies.

"Who would have thought all those beautiful nebula photos NASA took were colored in. Who would have thought they were all such liars."

"Well, they did fake the Moon landing, sir," says Gordon.

Ed looks at Gordon, "You do remember we've vacationed on the Moon and seen the flag and footprints, right?"

"Planted after-the-fact."

"I think you were planted after-the-fact," says Ed.

"That doesn't even make sense," says Gordon.

"Shut up."

"Captain, incoming transmission from Union headquarters. On a Level-1 secure link," says Alara.

"Finally, some excitement," rubbing his hands together, "how's my hair?"

"It has not changed since you asked us this morning," says Bortus.

"Hair means something to species who have it. Patch the transmission through."

A rectangular window appears on the view screen.

"Admiral Halsey – what can I do for you?"

"Captain Mercer, how are things at the nebula?"

"Neb-tastic, sir."

"Excellent. Please find encrypted in the transmission a set of coordinates. As you know, the Krill have been on a tear lately, so any mission of importance is best kept under wraps."

"You mean … like a top secret mission?" Ed says with some excitement, his eyes widening.

Gordon comments, "Oh, come on, they'd never entrust us with a-"

"Yes, Ed – a top secret assignment."

"Holy crap – top secret work! That ought to make my first officer come to the Bridge today."

"You'll be rendezvousing with another Union ship. Further details will be told to you in person. Captain – from this point on you are to answer no distress calls, pick up no passengers, or give aide of any kind until completion of the mission; go to quantum warp, stay there until you rendezvous. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," says Ed.

"Admiral Halsey, out."

The transmission ends. The Bridge is silent.

"Coordinates decrypted, sir," says Alara.

"Got 'em. Laying in a course," says John.

"Engage quantum drive when ready, John," Ed then presses some buttons on his arm-rest control panel, "Captain Mercer to Commander Grayson … if you feel up to performing your duties today, you're needed on the Bridge," he then waits for a reply.

"Eat me. I don't care if the nebula looks like a penis from a certain angle in infrared."

"No, this one's a real bona fide mission," Ed then mutes it, "I said 'bone'."

"I'll be there shortly. Grayson out."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa – you found a nebula penis and you didn't tell me?"

"Saved it to the image bank," says Gordon.

"Good. I know there was a reason I hired you."

"Captain, I do not believe looking for 'nebula penises' is a proper expenditure of resources and time," Isaac comments.

"Oh, no – it totally is," says John to Isaac.

Ed then responds, "Isaac's right. It's high time we found some nebula boobs."

"Captain," says Alara.

"Alara?" turning to see her.

"We can't help anybody? At all?"

"Those were the orders."

"Quantum drive initiated," says John.

"how long until we get there?"

"About forty-five minutes," John answers.

"Huh. That's a little far off."

"Well, it is a vast suckhole, sir," says John.

"That it is," says Ed.

We see the Orville fly passed our view as stars streak by all around.

.

About forty-five minutes later the Orville drops out of quantum warp. The heading alters toward a nearby moon.

"Are these the coordinates John?"

"Yes, sir."

"I don't see anything."

Gordon comments, "Maybe it's like deep and shit and it's symbolic – they're mooning you."

"You shouldn't say things," Kelly quips to Gordon.

"Look," Alara exclaims, pointing at the view screen.

Beside the moon on the half facing away from the local sun, dozens of lights cut on. Then spot lights. Out from the shadow a massive ship emerges.

"That's no moon," says Gordon.

"I was totally gonna say that!" says Ed.

Kelly looks at it, "That's a Union vessel. Hilton class."

"Hilton class? Never heard of it," Gordon comments aloud.

Ed then comments about it, "I have. It's the Waldorf Astoria of space."

Gordo then says, "Sounds comfy. Can I r-"

Ed cuts him off fast, "Request for transfer denied."

"Damn that was fast."

"Captain, receiving a transmission … on a laser data stream," says Alara.

"Laser data stream?" Ed says with a surprise.

"Nobody uses that anymore," says Kelly.

"It's an audio file," says Alara.

"Play it," says Ed.

"This is Commander Rench of the U.S.S. Mar-a-Lago requesting the Captain and first officer dock immediately with our vessel. Commander Rench out."

"What do you think?" says Kelly, looking at Ed.

"I think I'm gonna lose it if his first name is Monkey."

"Whatever, Mr. Ed. Let's go get in a shuttle," she presses some buttons on her command chair's arm-rest control panel, "Shuttle Bay, prep a shuttle immediately for me and the Captain."

"Aye, sir," a voice responds.

"Whoa, aren't you taking us?" asks Gordon.

"Yeeeaaahhh, sure I guess," says Ed.

"Well, if he's going, I'm going," says John.

"Oh, can I come?" Alara speaks up, too.

"Well, I don't kn-"

"I too would be interested in seeing this luxury vessel," says Bortus.

Ed then speaks in a more commanding tone, "Now, hold on – this is a requested delegation, not a boarding party. Gordon and John, you're with me. Alara, I'm putting you in command again. Mainly because I know if we get in trouble, you'll disobey Union orders and save my ass, but also because Bortus is still breast feeding his son. Which I am still not over."

Bortus responds, "Again, my down time could be reduced if I were allowed to feed Topa on the Bridge during my shift."

"No," says Ed.

Ed turns around and the four of them leave the Bridge.

.

The shuttle approaches from behind the large vessel in-between two horizontal long-looped quantum nacelles.

"Look at the size of this thing! It's bigger than Shamoo and Ted Kennedy combined," says Gordon.

Ed also says, "It could eat our ship and still have room for ten deserts. Then do it again."

" _IGT_ – what is Ed's Saturday night for five hundred, Alex?" says Kelly.

Hovering runway light buoys form a path to the main Shuttle Bay, blinking one at a time down the line to the bay doors. Fireworks go off and a large holographic display screen lights up and displays the text: Hello and welcome to the U.S.S. Mar-a-Lago, the greatest ship in the Union fleet. Please enjoy your stay. Remember to wipe your feet.

"Whoa, cool!" Gordon exclaims as the colors of the fireworks light up his face.

"Damn! No one even showed me to my quarters when I got on board," says John.

The shuttle lands on the bay floor. They unbuckle and stand up.

Ed addresses all of them, "Now remember – the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

Kelly comments, "There was someone in my quarters when I got on board."

"For the last time – I didn't assign quarters!" Ed says with frustration.

"Beer!" Gordon exclaims, pointing.

"Pizza!" They got a craft table!" John says excitedly.

Ed sighs, "Let's just go see how green their grass is."

.

They walk up to the delegation, the members of it dressed in dress uniforms.

"Hi, I'm Captain Ed Mercer."

"Commander Mike Rench, Captain."

"So close," says Ed.

"Excuse me?" says Mike.

"Never mind. This is my first officer Kelly Grayson, navigator Gordon Malloy and helmsman John LaMarr."

They each shake hands with Rench.

"Is that…" says John, sniffing the air, " _real_ pizza?"

Rench replies, "Yes. All the food is real and made from scratch from the finest ingredients available," he motions to his right and looks as well, "This is our chief of Security, Dan Mann…" he looks back and sees Gordon and John are gone.

"You lost 'em. God help me if my ship is invaded on pizza day," says Ed.

"Where's your Captain, Mr. Rench?" asks Kelly.

"He'll be here any minute now; he received a last-minute communique from Union headquarters."

"This must be pretty important," says Kelly.

"You have no idea," says Rench.

"Hey! Officer Gluttony, officer Piggy! I swear to Zod there better be pizza left over for me!" Ed shouts out, then looks at Kelly, "I should have left Gordon in command, that way I know I'd have pizza for sure. Oh, hello there Lieutenant Commander Mann," he extends a hand.

"Greetings, Captain," Man responds as he shakes hands with Ed.

A lift stops and opens; an ensign in a white uniform runs out, stops, and plays a piccolo, letting out the familiar three notes from maritime tradition.

"Captain on deck!" the ensign bellows.

Ed says to Kelly, "How come he gets a Captain on deck? All I got when I got on board was Gordon farting and saying "Dick on deck'."

The Captain exits the lift. As he approaches, Kelly and Ed note the award medals above his badge, gold shoulder pad decorations and royal red uniform. Kelly's smile dissipates.

"Captain Mercer, it's good to see you. I'm of course Captain Donald Prumpt," he shakes Ed's hand.

"Those two stuffing their faces are Lieutenant Gordon Malloy and Lieutenant John LaMarr. And this is my first officer Kelly Grayson."

"Miss Grayson, you're very beautiful; much better than your personnel photo indicates," he out stretches a hand. She doesn't shake it.

"Captain," she says curtly. Ed notices.

"Please, call me Mr. Prumpt."

"Ah, Mr. Prumpt, this is an impressively big ship you've got here," says Ed.

"That's an understatement. It's _huuugggeee_! Finest, most luxuriest ship in the fleet. State-of-the-art. Just look at that big beautiful main Shuttle Bay door."

"You have _two_ shuttle bays?" says Ed with surprise.

" _Three_ and a private hanger for my Captain's yacht."

"You have a Captain's yacht?" Ed says with even more surprise.

"I think we're getting off track here," says Kelly.

"She's right," says Ed.

"Come – we'll go to the Briefing Room," says Captain Prumpt.

.

The extra-wide and luxurious turbolift they're in comes to a halt. Prumpt and Rench and the rest get out of comfy chairs and exit it. In the hall are paintings, some snacks in bowls in wall recesses, and the classical piece _Leo Delibes_ plays. They reach a door which quietly slides open. A sensual female computer voice speaks, "Good morning, Captain."

"Your Briefing Room has its own dedicated hall and private elevator access?" Ed asks.

"Oh la la – a chandelier," Gordon says, looking up at the ceiling, which is higher than normal.

"Look at these chairs. Is that … _real_ wood? And those soft plush cushions…" says Ed. He sits down, "Oooooowwwww … my ass has died and gone to cushion Heaven."

"Mahogany. The finest quality on Earth. Hand crafted by the greatest craftsmen alive. It's lovely, just lovely," says Captain Prumpt.

The ensign walks up to the table, "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Oh my God – do you have real soda on hand?" Ed asks.

"Mr. Prumpt, perhaps it's time to actually find out why we're here," says Kelly.

"Of course. Three months ago the Planetary Union was contact by a-"

Ed's communicator goes off; he pulls it out, "Alara?"

"Captain, one Krill sector-patrol fighter approaching!"

"Shields up, red alert, arm the weapons systems!" Ed commands.

"Yes, sir!" Alara responds.

"Damnit, I should have had that pizza," Ed says.


	2. Chapter 2

Ed stands up fast, "Alara, position the Orville between us and the Krill vessel. If they even—"

"Captain Mercer, the Krill vessel is here on purpose. Tell your officer to stand down," says Prumpt.

"Did you get that, Alara?" Ed asks.

"Captain I heard it, but the Krill ship has charged its weapons."

"Mr. Prumpt, the Krill are basically a race of angry invasionists born with a stick up their collective butts; you can't play nice with them."

"This was supposed to be a peaceful meeting," says Rench, "He only charged his weapons because of your unexpected aggressive stance," he then presses some buttons on a table top control panel, "Regulator Killac, we apologize for the misunderstanding. The Orville crew had not yet been briefed. You are cleared to land in Shuttle Bay 2."

"Confirmed. Killac out."

"See? He's even got 'Kill' in his name," Ed says to Rench, then speaks in his communicator, "Just be vigilant, Alara."

Kelly speaks up, "Captain Prumpt, we're understandably nervous about the Krill; every encounter has ended in scrapping by and followed up by massive repairs."

"Captain Mercer, allow me to assuage your fears: Regulator Killac is alone," says Rench.

"Alone?" Ed says surprised.

Rench continues, "As I was saying: three months ago the Union was contacted by a non-member race's cargo ship saying one of their men was approached by a Krill officer wanting to talk to somebody from a Union ship. This supply ship often travels in Union-controlled space and evidentially Killac thought it was a Union cargo vessel. After receiving encrypted transmissions from Killac, we found out he wanted to exchange vital security data on Krill military build ups for his relocation."

Kelly says in a surprised voice, "A Krill defector? There have never been any before."

Prumpt corrects her, "No successful ones; each Krill who has attempted defection has been found and summarily executed. It's horrible."

"Well, summary executions aren't exactly picnics," Gordon comments.

"What military buildup? And for what?" Ed asks.

The doors open as Ed says that, and reveal Killac.

"For war, Captain," Killac says in his raspy and tired voice, his speech slowed noticeably with his age. He sits at the conference. "the Krill like being the oppressed even if also the oppressors. The Krill would love to have a war with the Planetary Union, but it wants to appear to be oppressed so other enemy races will form a coalition against the Union."

"How do they hope to do that?" asks Ed.

Killac continues, "As you are all aware, the U-Kraniums are in serious negotiations to join the Union. Perspective members are afforded temporary protection status in case a hostile race attacks, hoping to break the new Union."

John speaks up, "Aren't those the dudes with heads kind of shaped like U's?"

"Grownups are talking," Kelly says to John.

"It's the classic move of every two-bit dictator who's ever lived on Earth," says Prumpt.

"On _that_ , Captain Prumpt, we can agree," says Kelly.

Rench speaks next, "But's there's a lynch pin to the whole thing – Killac. The Krill won't gain the general support of other hostile species unless the U-Kranium annexation appears legitimate but in mere hours they'll realize Killac's ship is gone when it fails to report on its status."

"So, what's the big deal? Isn't Killac just another in a long line of Krill sector Regulators?" John asks Rench.

"No. He is _thee_ most important one Regulator. He is in charge of the sector along the U-Kranium border."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but exactly how does a big-wig Krill Regulator simply fly off without Krill Command taking notice?" Ed asks.

"A reasonable question to ask, Captain," says Killac.

"Mercer."

"Captain Mercer. I did not accomplish this alone and nobody should be looking yet. In various sectors we have raids from the Pirate Consortium. It is not unusual for a Regulator to break off and pursue. With my tactical officer out sick, only I and my equivalent of what you call a first officer, remained. Days ago I captured a Pirate skipper; a small and fast vessel for smuggling. The prisoners were though and slow to reveal anything of importance to report back to Krill Command, so I made no report. My first officer and I shared similar views on what the Krill have become and it was then we knew we could make our move. I transferred my tactical officer and when the time came, my first officer boarded the skipper and ran. This gave the appearance of pursuit."

"Where is he no? We were told you were alone," Kelly asks Killac.

"I blew his vessel out of the stars."

Ed speaks, "So, you murdered him to get away. That's great. I can't wait for your addition to the Union."

"You misunderstand, Captain Mercer. Delkek was old and suffering mutagenic disease from an attack years prior. The disease eats away at the brain slowly; there is no cure. In the Krill culture, when you are old and useless, you are executed; unless a government official. Delkek asked to go out in a way that would help the Krill."

"He could have defected, too," says Ed.

"Captain, it is not so simple. For whatever Delkek thought about his people's current state, he was patriotic to the old ways and loved his world; only in death would he part with them. Delkek has a daughter on the main world and had he survived, the stigma of being the daughter of a traitor would have ruined her life, even cost it. There is honor in what Delkek did. A trait nearly forgotten by my people."

"What about the prisoners?" Kelly asks.

"Executed. A small price to pau for the U-Kranium freedom. It's not uncommon for a Regulator to catch his prey and be absent for days on end interrogating them. As it stands, it will be assumed I am doing just that."

"What's the plan here?" asks Ed.

Rench responds, "The plan is to safely escort Killac to Earth where he will be safe and we can negotiate from a position of power to stop the annexation. Exposing the plot will seriously damper the Krill's ambitions and standing; their support will weaken."

"Couldn't the Mar-a-Lago do that by itself?" asks Kelly.

"Quite frankly, Krill weapons technology is slightly more advanced than ours and more powerful, as you know. One ship isn't enough. And we may have to split up. With sensor dampeners activated, they wouldn't know which ship he's on."

Killac then speaks, "The Krill will send one or two attack vessels. Either a couple of destroyers or an Annihilator class. Both are assured death for either of your vessels."

Gordon comments, "I guess the Huginator class ones are in use."

Prumpt speaks, "But they don't have us licked. The Mar-a-Lago has state-of-the-art weaponry. And on your end you got Gordy Malloy, who can fuck the donkey."

"Ah, that's hug the donkey. And it's Gordon."

Prumpt continues, "And that should give us the upper hand. Speaking of the upper hand, Captain Mercer we need to get moving. Dan," he nods to Dan.

Dan Mann speaks, "Captain, we're transferring a travel itinerary now to your crew," he presses some buttons on a control panel and continues talking, "Given we're not that far from Krill space, it's best we part ways and travel in different directions. They're not looking for us now, but when they do and check monitoring station logs, two Union ships meeting out nowhere special and then traveling away together will raise their suspicion."

Ed pulls his communicator out again, "Alara, did you receive data from the Mar-a-Lago?"

"Yep, got it."

"Good, Mercer out."

"Follow the times and directions. You'll find a rendezvous point at 2100 hours," says Mann.

"Oh, another secret briefing?" Ed asks.

"No, dinner," says Rench.

Prumpt lights up, "That's right, you're all invited to my big beautiful ship for a big dinner. Did I say big? 'cause it's gonna be _hhhuuugggeee_! All real Earth-grown food; none of that fake shit. This will be Killac's first buffet."

"Cool. Maybe we'll bring something," says Ed.

"Excellent. Meeting adjourned," says Prumpt.

"Meeting adjourned," the sultry female computer voice reiterates.

"You may al go on ahead; the Captain and I have matters to discuss with Killac," says Rench.

"Good day, gentlemen," says Kelly.

"Commander Grayson," Prumpt nods his head.

Ed, Kelly, Gordon, and John pile into the lift. The doors shut.

"Main Shuttle Bay," says Ed to the lift computer.

The lift moves.

"That's nine o'clock, by the way," Kelly says to Ed.

"If people mean nine o'clock, why can't they just say _nine o'clock_? He might as well be using the metric system. So, who's gonna bring something?"

"Don't look at me, the only thing I'm bringing is a healthy appetite," says John.

"Hell no," says Kelly.

"Gordon?" Ed asks Malloy.

"Why are you looking at me? I don't know how to cook. I've been using a replicator my whole adult life."

"You've never cooked ever?"

"Well," Gordon replies, "if by 'cooking' you mean 'burning', then yeah."

"Wait – the Union taught us how to make fire and survive off the land in an emergency," says Ed.

"Right and I burned all that, too," says Gordon.

"You can at least set up a fire, right?"

"Purposefully?" Gordon asks.

"Good lord. Don't take this the wrong way, but if we ever get stranded on an ice planet, you'll be the first one to be eaten."

"Seems fair," says John.

"Hey!" says Gordon.

"We won't be doing _this_ at dinner, right?" asks Kelly.

"Maybe not. Oh – guess who's coming to dinner?" says Ed.

Gordon replies, "I know, I was totally gonna say that!"

.

A slanted-split set of doors opens to a large and utilitarian office, painted in various shades of green with some metallic surfaces. Behind the desk a seasoned and decorated Krill officer.

"Sub Commander Killem," says an officer who just entered.

"Speak," Killen says impatiently.

"Sector 8777 subordinate Regulator Kempec reports a communications lapse with Sector Regulator Killac has persisted."

"Current location of his patroller?" asks Killem.

"Unknown. It was last seen in pursuit of a Pirate skipper. Ordinarily I would wait to bring you this information, but Command has ordered all report failures of Sector Regulators be reported more expediently."

"Excellent. Dismissed."

The officer leaves. Once the doors shut, Killem presses a couple of buttons on a control panel.

"This is Sector Regulator Sub Commander Killem."

"Regulator Killen you are recognized," a voice responds.

"An emergency track of Sector Regulator Killac's vessel is requested. Sector area 8777."

"Request approved and will immediately be processed. Sector Monitor Station Control, out."

Killem sits back. His sharp teeth show as he angrily taps the top of the desk.


	3. Chapter 3

The Orville drops out of quantum warp; it alters its trajectory for the Mar-a-Lago, which is nearby.

Ed gets up from his Captain's chair and looks at Bortus, "You sure you don't want to come, Bortus?"

"I am sure."

"You want me to bring you back anything?" Ed asks him.

"Yes. I would like to try a slice of this thing you call 'pizza'. I have tasted replicated pizza rolls, but Lieutenant Malloy assures me I have not lived until I have tasted real oven-baked pizza. I wish to _live_."

"No problem, I'll bring back a couple. Alara, you coming?"

"Just got to finish some work here, and I'll go get dressed."

"All right. Bortus, you have the Bridge," says Ed who then exits the Bridge and makes his way down the spiral staircase. He gets into a lift and finds Yaphit in it. He presses a button for his destination, "Ah, Yaphit, what brings you to the top levels?"

"Doctor Finn's replicator keeps replicating nothing but yellow gelatin penises."

"Ah."

"'cause I programmed it to spit out nothing but yellow gelatin penises," says Yaphit.

"Yeah, I figured it out."

"Pretty sneaky. That Doctor Finn has got a lot of junk in the trunk. I'd like to get jiggy with that."

"Well, that'sss … something. Quick question."

"Yeah?" Yaphit asks.

"You aren't made of Jell-O, are you?"

"No. Why? You weren't planning on eating me, were you?"

"No, definitively not. You aren't made of any sugary substances, are you?"

"No, just massive diarrhea-inducing goop and Splenda."

"Ew, Splenda. Never mind," the lift stops and the doors open.

"Hey, see you at the dinner party," Yaphit says to Ed.

"Excellent, you're going to that, "Ed says with restrained sarcasm.

The lift doors shut and he walks.

"Now I want Jell-O."

He walks a little bit and stops at some quarters; he presses the doorbell.

"Who is it?" Kelly's voice replies over the intercom.

Ed presses the outside intercom button and replies, "This is your Captain speaking: Would any female crew members who take hours to get ready please hurry it the hell up so we can be on time for a change?"

"This is you Commander speaking: Bite me! And if you think I'm going to wear a dress uniform without pants…"

Ed takes his finger and presses the mute button, "It's a draw in the _Worth It_ department."

.

And extra-wide lift's doors open; Ed, Kelly, Alara, and Isaac exit.

"I told you they had chairs. Did you try the vibrate setting?" Ed says to Kelly.

"They can vibrate?" Kelly asks.

"Sir, I do not understand the purpose of a seat that vibrates," says Isaac to Ed.

"That's because you don't have an ass."

"You hear music?" Kelly asks aloud to them all.

They reach a set of gold-colored extra-wide doors. The doors whisk open.

"Flanoia!" Alara exclaims in her foreign tongue.

Before them is a moderately-crowded large high-ceiling lounge. Two crystal chandeliers with candles above, silky gold curtains tied open on each window, buffet tables with plenty of food and real roses for decoration, and a string quartet playing live classical music.

Gordon comes running up. He speaks with a mouth full of food.

"Oh my God – _real_ tacos! _Real tacos!_ "

"Hey, Lieutenant Hungry Hungry Hippo – save a couple slices of pizza for Bortus, will you?" Ed calls out to Gordon.

"Yeah, yeah," Gordon gives Ed a thumbs up as he wanders back to the buffet table.

John wanders up, "Captain – Coke Cola," hands Ed a glass.

"Oh my God – Coke Cola. I thought soda was illegal; only something you could get on the black market," Ed sips some, "That's real. I remember my great grandfather sneaking me some when I was a kid."

"Captain, permission to mingle?" Alara asks.

"Of course! Mingle. And make sure Gordon doesn't throw up on anybody."

"Where's Captain Prumpt and his first officer?" Kelly asks John.

"Oh, probably just being fashionably late," John replies.

"Ha! See? It's not that fancy here. Didn't have a lift big enough to fit us _all_ ," says Ed.

John replies, "Nah, he's got his own private lift; it's super deluxe."

"Super deluxe? Oh, please – how much better could it be than the one with chairs that vibrate?" Ed says dismissively.

John responds, "It's got a bed, a private masseuse, and a toilet."

"Oh yeah? Well, I bet it doesn't have a mini fridge!" Ed points triumphantly.

"Oh, and by the way, Mr. Kill Krill is already here," John says to them.

Ed looks around, "Huh, I don't see him."

"He's been sitting alone against that far-back wall since I got here. I didn't know you could look angry and lonely at the same time," john shakes his head and wanders back to Gordon.

Ed inhales and exhales with a big sigh, "I'm gonna have to go over there, aren't I?" he asks Kelly.

"Not unless you want Gordon to draw penises on your forehead while you 're asleep."

Ed makes his way through the crowd, nodding to officers and shaking some hands. He finally reaches Killac and stands about here feet before him. After a few seconds Killac raises his head from looking down and makes eye contact with Ed for a few seconds in silence.

"Some party, huh?" Ed asks Killac.

Killac just stars at him.

"So … how about them Bears?"

Killac remains the same.

"Come on, this party is in your honor. Chat with some people."

"Aside from Commander Rench and chief of security Dan Mann, nobody wants to talk with me. Even Mann primarily follows me around to see what I am doing."

"Oh, that's just his job. And Union ships have had a lot of bad encounters with the Krill; they just … sometimes it's hard to get passed that."

"You are conversing with me."

"Well, I try to make an effort. It's hard for me, too. Come on," Ed motions with a hand, "I'll introduce you to some of my friends. They're boring but they'll talk to ya."

Killac follows Ed toward Gordon and John.

"Gordon," Ed says when they reach them, "say hello to the newest member of the Planetary Union citizenry."

"Hi," Gordon forces down some food in his mouth, "Wiener?" he holds out a hot dog for Killac.

"What is a … wiener?" Killac asks.

Gordon replies, "Oh, well, it's a breaded bun with flavored condiments we call ketsup and mustard, and… wiener."

"It tastes good," says John."

"Here, just try one," says Gordon.

Killac accepts the hot dog. He examines it, then sniffs it, then takes a large bite. As he chews, his face shakes ever so slightly; his eyes close and his head tilts back. He stops chewing for two or three seconds and breaths prolonged breaths in and out, then continues eating it. He lowers his head back.

"I think Killac and the wiener may have to get a room," says Gordon.

"I already have quarters assigned to me on the Mar-a-Lago," says Killac.

"It's a stupid Human joke, Killac," says Ed.

"Oh, I am sorry," he holds out a hand.

Killac sees it and remembers it as a handshake. He puts his out and Gordon gives it a firm shake. John offers his hand as well when Gordon is done; they shake as well.

"Lieutenant Malloy, you are unusually welcoming of me," says Killac.

"Hey, if Klingons can be in Starfleet, Krill can be in the Union. A hundred years ago the ink was still dry on the Union/Moclan peace treaty. It's all good."

"Mate with me _now_ ," they hear Alara demand. They see her pinning a Mar-a-Lago crew crewman to a wall.

Ed comments, "Okay, Alara has found the alcohol. John, go find Dr. Finn and get Alara a de-inebriation injection."

"Right," John heads away quickly.

"Don't' get used to the luxury real foods; unless you stay on Earth, all Union vessels and colonies have replicators. If you want, I can have someone from Engineering help program some Krill dishes into the replicators," says Ed to Killac.

"No thank you, Captain. There is nothing from the Krill home world I wish to eat again."

Everybody in the room begins to hush up when they hear the piccolo play the three notes announcing Captain Prumpt. Prumpt walks in, with beautiful young women on his arms; Rench is behind them as well.

"As you were folks," Prumpt says to the crowd

Prumpt, the girls, and Rench walk over to Ed. Isaac and Newton join them.

"Ah, Mr. Prumpt, I'd like you to meet some more of my crew. This is Steve Newton, my Chief of Engineering."

"It's a pleasure, sir. Might I say this is a mighty fine ship you got here," Steve says to Prumpt.

"Thank you, Steve. You should see Engineering."

"That's, Ed says pointing to Alara and Finn, "Alara Kitan, my Chief of Security, who's … temporarily disposed. Next to her is Doctor Claire Finn. And the pervy blob next to her holding a mirror under her dress uniform, is Yaphit; he works in Engineering," Ed motions to john. John then kicks Yaphit.

"And this is Isaac."

"Domo arigato, mister roboto," says Prumpt.

Isaac replies, "I will put you in my people zoo."

"Ha ha, he's joking. Just joking. And right now on the Bridge is Lieutenant Commander Bortus. He's kind of like Killac. So, who are those two ravishing beauties you've got here?"

"These are my two beautiful daughters. Totally single and totally bangable."

"I'll say," Steve says in a low voice.

"Hey – I was going to say that," Ed looks at the girls, "Ladies," and he then takes a hand from each and kisses them.

"Come – let's have dinner," says Prumpt.

"This isn't dinner?" Ed looks around at all the food.

"Appetizers," Prumpt dismisses them with a wave.

"Where's the dinner table?" Ed asks Prumpt.

They look over and see a wall retract up into the ceiling after Prumpt motions to it. Behind it a long dinner table with a feast laid out.

"That adjoining room is larger than our Bridge," Ed comments aloud.

"Feeling inadequate?" Gordon says to Ed.

"There's assigned seating for the big wigs," says Prumpt.

Prumpt takes the head of the table. To his right, Pence; next to Pence is Killac. To Prumpt's left both his blonde daughters suit side-by-side. Kelly aside Killac.

Ed and Newton look at the name cards. Ed finds his by the daughters.

"Ha," Ed scoffs at Newton, "sorry, Steve – big wig sitting only," Ed then sits next to the daughters.

"Damnit," Steve then continues reading name plates.

Gordon sits aside Ed. Claire next to Kelly. Once all the named-seats are full, Steve looks over at the other end and finds one empty space in between Isaac and Yaphit.

Prumpt raises a glass, "A toast of honor to our guest, civilian Killac."

Everybody raises a glass. Doctor Finn finishes praying, then raises her glass.

"I don't know how your cook does all this," says Ed.

Prumpt replies, "the kitchen is filled with hard-light holograms of a famous 20th century cook named Gordon Ramsay. It's friggin' sweet."

Alara speaks up, "Captain Prumpt, I've been reading your service record. Is it true you risked your entire crew for a shuttle full of puppies?"

"Absolutely. Beautiful creatures. I'd do it again."

"Aaawwwww," says Alara.

"Really?" Ed says annoyed.

Kelly then speaks up, "Mr. Prumpt, isn't it also true you used cheap Majoring space labor after the Dargassium invasion slash occupation, to build a luxury colony on Dargassium Prime even though there were plenty of Union construction crew available?"

"No, absolutely not. I paid them a good fair wage."

Ed mouths to Kelly, "Quiet … I wanna bang one of his daughters," and thumbs to them.

Alara asks, "What about that planet of cats – is it true you stopped an asteroid from hitting it?"

"Catus IX. I remember it well."

"Aaawwwww…" says Alara in a sweet voice.

"Really?" Ed says even more annoyed.

"I also drained the swamp on the Swampion home world."

"And killed countless Swampians on Swampkus IV, nearly starting an interstellar incident," says Kelly.

"Details," Prumpt says, dismissing it with a wave of a hand.

"Kelly, do you think maybe you could show a little more curtesy toward our host?" Ed asks her.

"Exactly how little more would you like me to show, Ed?" she retorts.

"Oh, I don't know, how about just enough to not act like an inconsiderate teenage jackass?"

"Oh, really?" says Kelly.

"Yeah, really. And, quite frankly, not in front of both crews and the man we should be making a favorable impression on," motioning at Killac.

Kelly sits back in her chair and hushes up. Killac sits silently.

"Hey, hey, hey – tasty drama," says Yaphit.

"Does that happen often between them?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, but not that intensely. There is going to be some super incredible shift work on the Bridge tomorrow," says John.

The table is silent as people eat.

"Folks, folks – people have disagreements, but that doesn't mean we can't be civil to each other. We're better than that. Civility, folks; some people preach it, others practice it," says Captain Prumpt.

People around the table clap their hands some, with Ed leading it off.

"Mr. Prumpt, you never did introduce me to your two beautiful daughters," Ed smiles at them as he says that.

"Of course, silly me. The one in red is Bambi; sweet girl, you'll like her. The one in pink is Tiffany; lovely lovely girl. Bambi, Tiffany, Captain Edward Mercer of the U.S.S. Orville. Very handsome and totally single."

"Oh … thank you," Ed says taken aback, "I'm also totally bangable. Just putting it out there."

" _Hahahahaha_ ," Kelly bursts out laughing.

"Really?" Ed says in an annoyed voice to Kelly.

Steve raises a hand slightly and says, "I'm bangable," in a hopeful voice.

"Sure you are," Yaphit says with sarcasm.

The girls giggle to each other and smile at Ed.

Claire speaks up, "Mr. Killac, I couldn't help but notice – being a doctor – you have what appear to be topical scarring all over your skin and that you walk with a slight limp with one leg. Do you need medical assistance?"

"Honestly, doctor, these things you notice, had not occurred to me to rectify in all my talks since my escape."

Claire continues talking, "These don't strike me as birth defects, and even if they were, both have been curable, at least in the Union, and on Earth, for over two hundred years. Please – call me Claire."

"Very well. There were other races I could have defected to that are non-Union worlds. It was by no mistake I chose the Planetary Union. Infractions, even by senior officials servicing Krill Command, are punished harshly. I failed to properly address a superior who I did not see enter an office. Consequently, he broke my leg; I was ordered to walk it off. It never fully healed. Use of a doctor is only for senior or life-threatening injuries, usually sustained in battle or combat of some kind. Four months ago a Pirate skipper my ship had caught, managed to escape; the skipper a week later boarded and raided a Command official's vessel. The punishment was swift. The Krill use a torture device known as a Skin-Crypt. Offenders are stripped naked and locked inside it. It burns off thin layers of skin until the pain is all over and you are bleeding. The trick is to plug your ears and keep your eyes closed or else you go blind and deaf, depending on how long your punishment lasts. I have known men who died in them. My duration was thankfully short.

From youth we are taught not to question authorities, to service Command, and that all it does is not only for your own good but the whole of the Krill. During subsequent encounters with Pirates and other unauthorized border crossers, something in me snapped. Perhaps I never fully absorbed the teachings; maybe my talks with Delkek were more effective than I realized up until that point, but I began to question and inquire with prisoners, the ways of their lives. One day I encountered a rogue vessel occupied by three ex-Union members who sought to fight and subvert the Krill for the atrocities they have committed. I came to realize in my talks with them that nothing about how I grew up or was taught was normal or right."

"What utter barbary. The Union Human Rights Council has told stories of violations on the Krill worlds, but details have always been sketchy," says Finn.

"Welcome to the Union, Killac. Another toast," Ed holds up his wine glass, "to freedom and happiness. Anybody else?"

"To peace," says Rench.

"To safety and care," says Finn.

"To compassion," says Kelly.

"To also being bangable," says Steve.

"What?" Ed says, looking over at Steve.

"To real pizza!" Gordon yells out.

"Huh?" Ed looks at Gordon.

"To older broads with big asses," says Yaphit.

"Okay, I think we're losing track of the general sentiment here…" says Ed.

"Oh – a toast to toast; is there any real toast with real butter here?" asks John.

"Pass that man some toast and butter," Prumpt orders.

Ed bellows, "Okay, no more toasting! I can't bring any of you anywhere," he then sits down. "Also, I would like some toast."

"Toast! Woo-hoo!" Alara suddenly blurts out. Ed realizes she's found the wine.

Killac speaks up, "If I may, I would like to make one final toast," he stands up, aided by a hand on the dinner table as he wobbles slightly. He raises his glass up, "To freedom to dissent. To freedom to peace in everyday affairs. To the freedom to discern right from wrong without repercussions. To the freedom to peruse happiness in life. To freedom of life, even when one makes a minor mistake on the job. And to freedom in general something I hope to find peace and comfort in," he sits back down.

"Very well put, Killac," says Prumpt.

Ed comments, "Makes my toast seem like a pile of crap."

One of the daughters puts a hand on Ed's right arm.

"Let's eat, drink and be merry, folks. That's what I always say," says Prumpt.

Ed notices Killac sitting silently, looking downward at his plate of food. Ed fidgets with his toast.

.

A couple of hours pass; dinner now over, people stand around talking to each other. Ed and Gordon talk to Prumpt at a large computer screen display of the Mar-a-Lago.

Ed reads data off the screen, "A baseball field, a bowling alley, a three-story arboretum, a Put-Put miniature golf course…"

Killac listens in.

Gordon points, "It's even got navigational dolphins on deck fourteen."

"Really?" Ed says surprised.

"Oh, yeah, beautiful creatures. I have no idea if they can navigate – I just like looking at them," says Prumpt.

"Are their names Flipper and Darwin?" Gordon jokes around.

"Mostly I just go with, 'Hey you, dolphin, get over here'," says Prumpt.

Kelly walks over.

"Captain, permission to leave. Moist of the crew is stuffed and tired and Alara won't let go of Rench's ass."

"Permission granted. I'm gonna stay a bit longer. I'll have Isaac pick me up later."

"Might I say, misses Grayson, you looked very very lovely tonight," says Prumpt.

"Thank you," she says quickly while looking away, "Good night," she says to Ed, then leaves; Gordon goes with her.

Prumpt waits a few seconds and then says in a lower voice to Ed, "I read about your divorce in your file. I purposefully sat her away from you. I can't believe she banged a scaly blue guy."

"Still bothers me, too. If she had had sex with somebody who looked like Fabio, I'd still be mad but at least I'd understand a little, but _blue?_ "

"You know he had blue balls," says Prumpt.

They chuckle together. Prumpt's daughters walk up to them.

"Daddy, we're tired; we're going to bed," says Tiffany.

"All right my darlings. Have a good night," he kisses each on the forehead.

"Oh my goodness – where are my manners? Let me walk you girls to your quarters," says Ed.

"How sweet," Captain Mercer," says Bambi.

"That's me – sweeter than candy on a stick. Huckleberry, cherry or lime."

He walks off with both girls on his arms. They talk as they walk down corridors after exiting a lift.

"So, Captain Mercer, which one of us is more attractive?" asks Bambi.

"Well, me obviously" Ed laughs a little uneasily, trying to not offend either girl.

"I'm serious. Which one?" Bambi asks again.

"Gosh girls, honestly I think any guy would be lucky to have either of you."

"You know, I could use a lengthy debriefing," says Tiffany.

"I've always wanted to see the Captain's log," says Bambi quickly after Tiffany.

"I'll watch you fire a full spread, if you know what I mean." Says Tiffany.

"Girls, girls – there'd plenty of Ed to go around. Did I just say that?"

"I guess we could share," says Bambi.

"You're right. Why don't you come back to our quarters?" says Tiffany.

"Both of you? Together? You mean ... a ménage a Troi?"

They shake their heads "Yes".

"There is a god!" Ed exclaims.

Rench walks up to Ed, "Captain Mercer, have you seen Killac?"  
"And he's a cock-blocker," Ed then ads.

"Pardon me?" says Rench.

"Oh, nothing. Did you try the internal sensors?" asks Ed.

"He took off his guest badge; sensors found the chipped badge in a restroom."

"Damnit. You get some sleep, Commander. I bet I know where he is."

"I'll sleep when you tell me you've found him, Captain Mercer."

"Yeah, I'll drop you a line. Girls, can I take a rain check?"

"Don't keep us waiting too long…" says Bambi.

"I won't," Ed turns and heads for a lift.

.

Ed enters a room marked Navigation Aquatics. The lights are off except low blue hazy lights around the tank that curves out into the room for access to the dolphins; the glass wall continues to wrap around the room walls, allowing visual access to the rest of the tank. Ed walks around and finds Killac lying on his back.

"Peaceful in here."

"How did you find me, Captain Mercer?"

"You can call me Ed. I've read about Krill ships. They're cold, sterile, lonely. I figured maybe the sudden exposure to the abundance and welcoming our society has, overwhelmed you; you'd be looking for refuge away from it all. A little bit of home without having to go home again."

"Everyone I have encountered thinks dropping your entire way of life, everything you've ever known, and embracing the opposite is as simple as changing a uniform or attending a social. They cannot begin to understand the way of life I have endured."

Ed kind of nods his head and sits down close to Killac, "Tell me about it."

"The Krill society is very progressive; the government and Command over the individual. You willingly subordinate yourself for the greater good; a good, I have found, to be undefined and never reachable. Love is viewed as weakness, expression _dissent_. You may find this hard to believe, Ed, almost no one in Krill society questions it; when you have been taught a way of life from birth, you accept it as such; you are also told it is the will of Avis. You subside on an existence of servicing the purported good; when you can no longer do so, your existence is no longer justifiable. I understand some of the most famous men in your history serviced righteous causes, never had to justify themselves; and often death was the only thing that prevented them from continuing."

"That's mostly true, though we had progressives in our history; thankfully we progressed passed them. Often these men you speak of faced trials and perceptions that were insurmountable. People on my world used to believe the world was flat and that if you sailed too far out, you'd fall off it. Questioning it was heresy and got you imprisoned or even executed. On my world, Killac, knowledge is power."

"You mean words alone could make you great?"

"Absolutely. Martin Luther King lead peaceful protests that changed things and others in the future lead by example. With enough knowledge and skill, you could live a life of quiet luxury. Thomas Paine was a man in our political past who wrote pamphlets that changed a country substantially; I think he died broke though. Guess the money wasn't in pamphlets."

"When I first walked into my quarters, I was taken aback at the personal freedom it afforded; in a Krill quarter, there is functionality over appearance. There is no replicator; replicators are for certain elites; everyone else must eat what is mandate. There is no bed; you strap yourself to an upright flat surface. Beds are considered for the lazy and unfit."

"I could take a dump in my quarters and no one would care. Not that I'd do that. The beauty of the Union life – as long as you're not on duty, you can sit in your quarters all day and eat ice cream while watching _Knight Rider_. Not that I've done that. Hell, we even have shows about one man trying to make a difference."

"I cannot imagine having such a life," says Killac.

"You just gotta think big, Killac."

Killac watches the dolphins swimming free, "Captain Ed, earlier you told me some in the Union would have a hard time accepting a Krill because they had experienced lose because of my people."

"Yeah, I did say that."

"I noted a familiarity in your voice and expression when you said it."

Ed is silent for a number of seconds while looking down before responding, "I've lost friends and acquaintances to battles with the Krill. Two of my best friends from the Academy were brutally murdered resisting interrogation. I've heard a number of horror stories from other races."

"And yet you talk to me."

"Well, Killac, I don't hate you."

"And yet it seems you resent me."

"Killac … founded or unfounded, one thing humanity has yet to shake off is hate that can build in your heart. It can be hard to let go of. Killac, I don't _think_ I resent you. Hell, after this I think I'd call you a friend. I have things I just need to work out with myself."

The doors open and Rench comes in with a security detail.

"Computer, lights," says Rench.

"You tracked my badge, didn't you?" asks Ed.

"You didn't call," Rench replies.

Ed and Killac stand up.

"Damn you're old; just noticed with all these lights. No, no, no – I didn't mean that derogatorily! I'm sure you're seasoned. Very very seasoned."

"Captain, one day you'll have security watching over somebody. Hopefully one of your crew isn't snide about it. Please, Killac, let me show you to your quarters."

"I will come," Killac replies back.

"Please do not take off your badge outside your quarters," says Rench.

They walk out of the room, leaving Ed alone. He looks over at the dolphin that has popped up next to him.

"Hey, Darwin," he pets him, "Where's Lucas? I might shit myself if you answered right now."

.

Killem reads reports in his office. Tehre is a beeping. He presses a button and speaks, "Killem."

"Sub Commander Killem. The results of the track as requested. Regulator Killac's vessel was last tracked 500,000 light years outside Krill space where an hour later the transponder failed to be picked up by any subspace array. Thereafter two Union vessels were detected nearby the last-known position. They split up. End of report."

"Thank you," he presses the button again, ending the transmission link. He presses some more, "Sub Commander Killem to Vessel Requisitioning."

"Yes, Sub Commander?"

"I will need a vessel for pursuit of a defector."

"Class vessel required?"

Killem replies, "Annihilator class."


	4. Chapter 4

The Orville and Mar-a-Lago travel side-by-side at low quantum speed to avoid raising suspicions.

Ed sits in his Captain's chair, looking deep in thought.

"What's on your mind?" Kelly asks him.

"Killac."

"Ah, so you didn't bang the bunnies last night, huh?"

"Not for a lack of effort. Killac strikes me as a very lonely man."

"Some people are introverts, you know that," Kelly says to him.

"Isaac, let me ask you a question."

"Yes, Captain?" Isaac swivels around to face Ed.

"When you joined the Union, did fellow Union officers make you feel welcomed?"

"I am a robotic life form; I feel nothing."

"Bortus, how about you?"

"I suppose they were some reservations amongst some Union officers, though by nature I enjoy a life of solitude."

"Did you ever feel resented?" Ed asks Bortus.

Alara cuts in, "Captain, the Mar-a-Lago is signaling us to drop out of quantum warp."

"Do it and pull alongside them," Ed responds.

"Aye, sir," says Alara.

Bortus continues, "I also supposed there was some resentment."

"How'd you deal with it?" Ed asks him.

"I did not. I confined myself to quarters until over time Union members simply accepted me. But I was lucky, I had my nature of solitude to fall back upon."

"Hum," Ed nods slightly.

"Receiving a call from the Mar-a-Lago," says Alara.

"Put it up."

A rectangular-shaped window opens on the view screen, showing Captain Prumpt.

"Is there a problem?" Ed asks Prumpt.

Prumpt responds, "We need to hang back for a bit. A Union freighter is reporting a scavenger ship at a derelict. Those scavengers are shady people; don't want to get in their sensor range. We've ordered the nearest Union ship to go chase them off."

"No problem. Let us know when you're ready to go."

"I will. Captain Prumpt out."

The rectangular window closes. The Orville drops out of quantum warp.

Ed thinks and then looks at Kelly, "If your only friend said he might resent you and you had nothing else, what would you do?"

Kelly just looks at him and shrugs her shoulders. Ed shoots up.

"Gordon, come on. Get me to the Mar-a-Lago as fast as you can!"

"Yes, sir," says Gordon.

"Alara, tell them I'm coming aboard."

"Yes, Captain."

Ed runs to the staircase and down, with Gordon tagging along.

"Ohhh, I think I'm supposed to wait several hours before running after eating that much," says Gordon.

.

Ed runs down a hall with Rench.

"I'm over-riding the lock command," Rench says as he presses some buttons.

"I want nobody else in this room. If I need help, I will call," Ed demands.

"It's unlocked," says Rench.

Ed rushes in. He sees Killac put some kind of pill into his mouth.

"Killac!" he runs over. The doors shit as Rench looks on.

Ed lowers down fast and puts a choke-hold on Killac.

"Spit it out!" Killac doesn't, "Stop it!" Ed squeezes tighter, " _Stop it!_ "

He lets do when he realizes Killac isn't fighting back. He comes about face-to-face with Killac.

"Where is it?!" Ed opens Killac's mouth and loos in, "Goddamnit," he tilts Killac's head up to the lights and doesn't see the pill, " **Goddamnit** ," Ed says even more pissed off. He pries Killac's mouth open and sticks his right hand in Killac's mouth and touches the uvula, causing Killac to involuntarily throw up. Ed pulls his hand out, but not fast enough and gets thrown up on. He shifts through the throw up but doesn't see the pill, "You son of a bitch," he moves back behind Killac and performs the Heimlich maneuver.

Again and again Ed presses down fast and firmly on Killac's stomach until he sees the pill coughed up. He grabs it before Killac can. He walks over to the replicator and places the pill in the slot.

"Reclaim mode."

The pill and all bodily liquids dissolve away in blue lights.

"One glass of room-temperature pasteurized Earth cow's milk. Vitamin D."

He walks back to Killac and gives him the glass.

"Drink it," he says pissed off. He walks to the doors and says to Rench when they open, "Will you contact my ship and tell them to send Doctor Finn over immediately? I got it from here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Go to sleep. Somebody should get to," Ed turns back around and goes back to Killac.

Ed paces quickly back and forth, clearly agitated. He finally stops.

"You're gonna kill yourself? _How dare you!_ " he yells. " **Fuck you!** "

Killac shakes as he drinks, still affected from the vomiting.

"People die to have what you have. They fight wars, are executed, disappear. Men have tried and _failed_ on your world to get away. Here you are in the lap of luxury with liberty and freedom countless species only _dream_ of and you're choking back on a fucking suicide pill? _**Fuck you!**_ _Not on my watch!_ Goddamnit."

Killac finishes drinking the milk; he coughs a little and just stares at the glass.

"You're welcome, asshole," Ed says to him.

Killac finally speaks up, "I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah? Well, it's high time you do. Life is precious and short, but it has its up's and down's. 'Oh, woe is me – things are different and nobody really likes me – guess I'll kill myself'?" Give me a break. I thought we were friends here."

"I didn't realize we were really friends."

"Killac, of course I'm your friend. I don't stick my hand down just anybody's throat. Real friendships can be lifelong trials here yes – you may not have a perfect friendship. Am I a lousy friend? Yeah, probably; I suck at a lot of things. Though for clarification purposes, as far as my crew is concerned, I'm God."

"Thank you, Captain Ed."

"Just Ed."

"Ed."

"Killac, it doesn't seem like it now, but one day you'll have friends running out of your ass and you'll love whatever you do."

"Ass?" asks Killac.

"It's, ahhh…" points to his butt, "where food comes out of you after you've eaten it."

"Ah, I see. Why would these friends be running out of there? How would they get in there? Are they tiny persons?"

"Oh, it's an expression."

"Is that … normal?"

"If you're Richard Gear. Hey, if you ever join the Union Academy, I'll take you in as a cadet-in-training."

Killac slowly rises, hobbling on his bad leg as he stands up fully. He looks at Ed, then walks over casually and stops, still looking.

"Remember who your throat buddy is," Ed says, unsure of Killac's intentions.

Killac thrusts forward and wraps his arms around Ed, giving Ed a tight hug. Ed, taken aback, just stands there for a few seconds and finally puts his arms around Killac.

.

Later that night. Ed and Kelly stand outside Killac's quarters.

"You sure it was a hug? You sure he didn't trip and fall into you and put his arms around you to break his fall?" Kelly asks Ed.

"Is it really so hard to believe someone other than my mother would want to hug me?"

"Well, if I can suspend my disbelief for those old _'The Twilight Zone'_ episodes you make us watch, I guess I can continue suspending it."

"Somebody needs a hug…" Ed puts his arms out.

"Beat off, Ryan Stiles."

The doors slide open and Doctor Finn walks out.

"Doctor, how is he?" Ed asks Finn.

"He's okay now. I had to clean out his system. The suicide pill was old and lost some of its effect; it's also slow acting, however he managed to get some of it down his throat. Another ten minutes and it would have been close. Captain, what you did saved his life. Had you done nothing, he would have been dead before I got there. Or the Mar-a-Lago doctor got there."

"You're a hero," says Kelly.

"Funny, I don't feel like a hero. I just feel … meh. And bloated from eating all that food."

"I thought you told us the Krill were religious and worshipped a deity called Avis. Yet I got none of that from Killac," Finn asks Ed.

"You know, I asked him about that before you got here, after he hugged me. Apparently the religious predominantly are in citizenry and soldiers; amongst the Command and other general echelons, officials are basically told Avis doesn't exist by other members or don't believe he exists at all; kind of like 20th/21st century Congressmen. Apparently the Krill are like us – the dicks get in charge."

Captain Prumpt comes walking around the curved corridor.

"Captain Mercer, Kelly. My first officer tells me you saved Killac's life."

"Yeah, how did you know?" Ed asks.

"Commander Rench told me," says Prumpt.

"And Rench told me to tell him what happened," says Finn.

"This chain of command seems to be missing my chain link," Ed comments.

"Will that be all, sir?" Finn asks Ed.

"Yes, you can go back to the ship now."

"Good night, Captain," Finn says and leaves.

"What about you?" Kelly asks Ed.

"Nah, I'm gonna stay with Killac for the night."

"Need me to stay?" Kelly asks.

"Ah, Kelly, it's a guy thing. Let Gordon take you back to the ship. I'll signal the Orville tomorrow and we'll both drop out of quantum warp. Good night."

"Good night," Kelly says and leaves as well.

Prumpt speaks, "By the way, you Chief of Security threw up at the party in my real potted plants."

"Damnit, Alara, you had one job," Ed then goes back in Killac's quarters and the doors shut.

"Walk with me Commander," Prumpt says to Kelly.

"You can follow me as far as the shuttle, but once I'm in it, I'm out," she starts walking fast for the nearest turbolift. She pulls out her communicator, "Grayson to Lieutenant Malloy – I'll be needing you to take me back to the Orville."

"Copy that, Commander," we hear Gordon's voice reply.

Kelly puts her communicator away as Prumpt begins talking.

"Miss Grayson, the Orville isn't here by random choice."

"What do you mean?"

"I owed Admiral Halsey a favor. He wanted your Captain and crew tested."

"I'm not sure I follow," she enters a turbolift; Donald joins her, "Shuttle Bay 2."

"Ol' Hal' told me about what he did for you to get Ed the ship. So when this mission was tossed into my lap, naturally I got it. He said I could pick any ship I wanted to help me, but told me about a Captain who needed some testing; wet behind the ears, not the quantumiest of quantum drives, but had a good heart. When he told me that, I picked Captain Mercer without hesitation."

"I didn't know that," Kelly says.

"Only me, Mike, and Halsey knew. Miss Grayson, I don't know why you don't like me. I'm an imperfect guy - I'll be the first to admit it, but I don't think I'm so bad you gotta hate me. I know there are a lot of rumors, lies, half-truths going around about me; some folks take allegations as the gospel truth. How does that old expression go? A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth even wakes up."

"Something like that."

The lift doors open and they exit, heading toward the Shuttle Bay 2 entrance doors.

"Why don't you like me, miss Grayson?"

"Well, for starters: you're ostentatious; you say one thing and do another; you'll do anything or work with anyone to get what you want; you're a hypocrite; and a crotch-grabbing womanizer."

"That's quite a mouthful. I'll admit some of those things are true, I've probably done others, but I take issue with that last accusation. Do I love women? Probably more so than the next guy. But that crotch-grabbing thing – never happened. You repeat a lie often enough and people don't even question it - they just believe it."

"And you're unusually orange."

They stop at the shuttle.

"My wife – she's on Orangian; they got a transmutable temporary pigment that colorizes their mate after hours of banging. They mark their mates."

"Okay, didn't need to know that."

"Good night, miss Grayson. Sleep tight. Don't let the space bugs bite."

"Captain Prumpt," she nods her head, looking at Prumpt with unspoken appreciation. She walks into the shuttle.

"Good night, Gordy," Prumpt calls out as the doors shut.

.

An hour later.

"Bortus sits in the Captain's chair, finishing off the final slice of pizza.

"Uuummm … I have lived," says Bortus.

"Lieutenant Commander Bortus, I am detecting another vessel incoming at a higher quantum warp speed," Isaac says, pressing some more buttons, "It is a Krill Annihilator."

"Red alert, deflectors at full strength; Commander Grayson to the Bridge."

Red lights flash all over, saturating the Bridge in lots of red coloring.

"Lieutenant Alara, hail the Krill vessel," Bortus commands.

"They are opening fire," says Isaac.

"Lieutenant Malloy to the Bridge immediately."

The fill-in navigator asks, "Sir, should I take evasive maneuvers?"

"Negative – protect the Mar-a-Lago!"

 _Wham! Wham! Wham!_ Strike after strike hits the Orville's aft deflectors. The Annihilator overtakes the Orville.

"Target their deflector emitter!" Bortus commands.

The Orville gets pounded rapidly, with even more fire than a normal Krill battle ship could do.

"Deflectors failing. Another hit and we will have to drop out of quantum drive," says Isaac.

"The Krill vessel has passed us; we can no longer fire. The Krill vessel is now over the Mar-a-Lago and firing," says the fill-in helmsman.

"Accelerate and brings us alongside the Annihilator."

They watch the view screen as the Mar-a-Lago and Annihilator exchange fire. The Mar-a-Lago accelerates.

"The Mar-a-Lago is hailing us," says Alara.

"On screen," says Bortus. Kelly comes dashing in and sits next to Bortus.

"We can't take the attack. Increase to full quantum warp speed; we'll make a run for the nearest Union ships! Prumpt out!"

"Do it," Bortus orders the helmsman, before Kelly can even speak.

The Mar-a-Lago quickly starts to disappear; the Orville reaches full speed and the increasing gap stops; the Krill ship speeds up.

"Hail them again, Lieutenant," says Bortus. Kelly just shrugs and lets Bortus handle it for the moment.

"Yes, sir," says Alara.

 _ **WHAM!**_ The Orville is truck.

"Deflectors gone we must drop out of quantum drive or risk destruction from space debris. Your orders, sir?" Isaac asks.

Bortus sits there, grinding his clenched teeth.

"Your orders?" Isaac asks again.

"Disengage quantum drive."

The Orville drops out and into normal space. A few seconds later the Krill vessel pops out of quantum warp and head rights for the Orville.

.

Ed and Killac enter the specious and luxurious Bridge of the Mar-a-Lago.

"What's happening?" Ed asks.

"Sir, the Krill Annihilator has dropped out of quantum drive and doubled back on the Orville," says an officer.

"Helm, make a U-turn and get us back to the Orville," Prumpt orders.

.

Gordon comes running into the Bridge.

"Get those sensor dampeners on!" Kelly demands.

"Already activated. I took the liberty when I spotted the Krill vessel," says Isaac.

"Good, Isaac. What are the damages?" Kelly asks.

Isaac responds, "engineering reports the deflector systems are completely blown and will need an hour to bring them back online. Stern plasma torpedo launchers are unusable. The doctor reports minor injuries."

"What are they waiting for?" Gordon asks aloud.

Kelly then says to him, "The know the Mar-a-Lago will come back. With that kind of fire power, they could have destroyed us while we were in quantum warp."

The Mar-a-Lago pops out of quantum warp and veers over to the Annihilator. The Krill ship repositions and makes an aggressive move to bare down on the Mar-a-Lago. The Annihilator opens fire.

"Fire every damn thing you can at them!" Kelly yells.

"Yes, ma'am!" says Gordon.

"Receiving a communication from the Mar-a-Lago," says Alara.

"On screen," says Kelly.

Ed stands there in the middle of the screen, "Kelly, you listen to me – if we can't take this attack, you get the hell out of here. No need for us to all die."

"Like I ever listen to you. Can't – the deflectors are blown. If they start firing on us again, we won't make it two minutes."

A man on the Mar-a-Lago Bridge speaks, "Fore deflectors are nearly gone; starboard deflectors critical!" and a panel explodes and white electrical sparks fly across the Bridge. Ed runs over to help the officer at that panel.

"Gordy, rim that donkey!" Prumpt bellows.

"On it!" Gordon says after looking at Kelly, who nods.

John comes running in, "Are we gonna die again?"

"Maybe," says Gordon.

"Shit, you think I'm gonna die in bed. Wouldn't miss my death for the world."

The Orville races at the Krill ship.

.

The Mar-a-Lago shakes. The communication breaks.

An officer yells out, "Fore and starboard deflectors are gone; we're taking direct hits. Aft deflectors at 50%."

A female officer yells out, "Casualties reported, Captain!"

"Spin us about and keep the port deflectors in their face!" Prumpt orders.

"Aye, sir," the navigator calls out.

"Deploy the gravity buoys!" Prumpt commands.

"You all right?" Ed asks Killac after he sees Killac fall into a wall.

"I am fine. Ed, the Annihilator is capable of obliterating both your vessels. Perhaps I should turn myself in."

"The Hell you are. Welcome to the Union, Killac – we defend our friends to the death," says Ed.

.

The Orville starts loping around the Annihilator-class vessel, firing and striking the hull of the enormous ship.

The Krill vessel continues firing, but it's green pulse-like weapons get caught in the artificial gravity wells of the gravity-generating buoys, causing the fire to curve and divert away, alieving them of most of the hits.

.

"Got it!" Gordon yells.

"Got what?" Kelly asks.

"Their main weapons array. Take that you-"

Suddenly the long spiked arms of the Krill ship move, raising up; still circling them, the Orville gets swiped by one. Systems overload and explosions at various panels occur. The ship is flung into another spiked arm and hits it. More explosions occur and the lights go out on the Bridge and elsewhere in the Orville. Emergency low lights cut on.

Isaac speaks, "The emergency nuclear fission generator is online."

"Damage?" Kelly asks.

"I've got no helm control," says Gordon.

"Navigation is nearly shot. I got emergency thrusters only," says John.

Isaac speaks up again, "Life support is sporadic. Artificial gravity is stable. I cannot reach Engineering."

"By some miracle we still have communications," says Alara.

"Stabilize altitude, John – we're spinning out of control," Kelly orders.

"Commander – look," says Bortus.

Kelly and crew look as the Krill ship makes for a collision course.

"They're gonna ram the Mar-a-Lago!" Gordon yells.

.

The Mar-a-Lago helmsman shouts to Captain Prumpt, "Collision course!"

" **Thrusters!** " Prumpt commands.

"All thrusters out except port side," the officer replies back.

"Make a 180, helm; if the Annihilator hits the deflectors, it'll cause a massive power overload that'll blow out all interconnected systems!"

"Coming around!"

"Killac – grab on to something!" Ed yells.

"Impact!" the female Engineering officer warns loudly.

The Annihilator rams into the Mar-a-Lago, cutting into the hull as it scrapes alongside the saucer area.

Power relays blow all over the side hit, cascading around for a few decks; decks decompress; and sparks fly as panels blow on the Bridge. The lights go out, then the emergency lights cut on.

"Emergency fission reactor online," Rench says to Prumpt.

Ed looks at Killac, "We're dead in the water."


	5. Chapter 5

The Mar-a-Lago sits in place; debris floats about it and electrical flashes go off at various parts of the gashes. Some debris gets tossed off by remaining gravity buoys. The extended arms of the Annihilator reach out into space, looking menacing.

Crew members help injured officers. Prumpt looks around.

"Lieutenant Conway, report," Prumpt says angrily, knowing the answer will be bad.

"Two dozen dead, another dozen seriously injured, and almost a dozen crew unaccounted for. Multiple sections on decks twenty though thirty are exposed to space."

"Captain, we're being hailed by the Krill," says the communications officer.

"Killac, hide in the Briefing Room," Ed leads him off the Bridge.

"Put 'em up," Prumpt says once Ed has gotten Killac out of view.

A rectangular window opens on the view screen.

"I am Sector Regulator Sub Commander Killen. Give me Sector Regulator Killac now."

"This is Captain Donald Prumpt of the U.S.S. Mar-a-Lago. I don't know of any Killac. You have committed a hostile un-provo-"

Killen cuts him off, "You try what little patience I have, Captain Prumpt. Your vessel was tracked from the last-known position of Commander Killac's vessel; the lapse in time between the two fits the cruising speed of a Planetary Union vessel. And though you clearly altered travel routes, times synched and there were merge points. I've studied battle records from Union ship encounters and know that sensor-dampening fields are not used unless something is being hidden."

"Maybe we're just really insistent people mind their own business," says Ed.

Prumpt speaks, "Listen, Killem, I'm sure you know my reputation. Even if I had him, I wouldn't give him to you. I'm notoriously stubborn. Plus, you're in no position to negotiate."

Killen looks to a side as one of his officers peaks to him.

"Hand him over now and I promise to let your crew live."

"No," Killac says forcefully and steps out into view.

"Damnit, Killac," Ed says in a very frustrated voice.

"He has no such intentions. Regardless of what you do, he will board your ships, murder the crew and take prisoner the senior officers for interrogation and brutal torture. Females will be used as sex slaves in the upper levels of Command. The ruse was useless; Sub Commander Killem has personally overseen the capture, interrogation, and murder of nearly all Krill who have attempted defection to the Union."

Killen speaks, "My personal congratulations on getting so far, Killac. But it is now over. And you know that."

"You have no right to me. Who are you? Just a man," says Killac.

"I am a Krill Command Regulator and your superior! I am _everything_ to you short of calling me Avis," Killen says tersely, pissed he was even challenged.

Killac responds, "Respectfully, Sub Commander, you are merely a boss, of a people I have abandoned. Last night Captain Ed told me of a man wiser than you or I who wrote the following: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal. And that these men have natural unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It has taken me most of my life, but I have come to realize such truths; these words merely re-enforce my convictions. I do not expect you to understand them, but I do expect you to honor my willingness to embrace them."

"Words. Meaningless words," Killem waves a hand dismissively, "You have what Avis laid forth for you in the Ankara, nothing more."

"Do not speak to me of Avis when you deny his very existence yourself. It is your words that are meaningless; used only to get what you what."

"Yeah! Stick it to him, Killac," Ed cheers Killac on.

Prumpt speaks, "Sub," he says more pronounced, "Commander Killem, I hold the cards here. The only one of us that will be dying today is you if you do not break off your attack and return to Krill space."

"Captain, your fortitude amuses me," Killem looks over at somebody who then says something; Killem looks back. "While all of you talked, I was stalling for time. In less than ten of what you people refer to as 'minutes', my weapons systems will be partially back online. At that time I will bombard your ship until you have surrendered or been destroyed. Or you could just message before then. Decide," Killen says, with the transmission ending.

"Well, I was hoping for death by snu-snu, but this'll work. Any ideas, Captain Prumpt? It appears we're licked," says Ed.

Prumpt replies, "Hardly. Lieutenant Commander West, put it on screen."

The extra-high view screen displays a live feed of a torpedo bay. In it a humongous torpedo – bigger than a shuttle.

"What in the name of Zod is that?" Ed asks.

Prumpt replies, "Like that? It's the M.O.A.T. Over in the main torpedo bay."

"Like a little river?" Ed asks.

"M.O.A.T. – Mother of All Torpedoes."

"Sweet. When do I get one?"

"When you grow up," says Prumpt.

"Oh."

"So, not any time soon," Kelly's voice suddenly sounds.

"Kelly!" Ed pulls out his communicator, "What's happening over there?"

"We're dead in the water. We couldn't hail the Mar-a-Lago, but then Lieutenant Malloy remembered your communicator. Ed, if he sets that thing off, we can't get out of the way of the blast. We got no deflectors."

"Commander, the M.O.A.T. is a directional weapon," says Prumpt to Kelly.

"Even your weapons are luxurious. Damn," says Ed.

West calls out, "Captain, the only launcher capable of handling the M.O.A.T. is damaged and offline."

"Can it be fixed before the deadline?" asks Prumpt.

"No, sir. The systems damaged is too extensive," says West.

"What about a shuttle? What if I tractored it to Killem?" Ed offers his life.

West replies, "It would take too long to get to a shuttle and to the bay door to the M.O.A.T."

Mann says, "There's only one way; the M.O.A.T. has a driver's seat and can be piloted manually."

"Couldn't we steer it remotely?" Ed asks.

"Negative. It was designed to not be operated remotely, so it couldn't be stolen or activated and used against the very ship carrying it," Mann answers.

"Who pilots it?" Rench asks.

"I can't order my crew to certain death. I just can't. Gentlemen, I think it's down to the three of us," Prumpt says to Rench and Ed.

"I can't accept that one of us has to die. Killac has been in Krill Command for probably decades. If anybody knows what weaknesses can be exploited of that Annihilator, it's him. Killac," Ed turns to look at Killac, "any sugges…" and finds Killac gone. He jets his neck to a side to see the view screen and Killac opening the pilot's door on the M.O.A.T., "No…"

Ed runs to the Bridge lift and enters. The doors fly open a couple of minutes later and Ed leaps out and runs down a corridor and to a door marked Torpedo Bay I. The doors slide open and Ed runs in and to the M.O.A.T.

"Killac!" he stops at the circular window on the torpedo, "Killac, get the hell out of there! You don't need to do this – we'll think of something. Don't you Spock on me!"

"Ed, we are out of time. If no one here survives to get back to the Union, there will be no physical confirmation of the Krill's plans and the U-Kranium people will be annexed, massacred, and enslaved."

"Fine – you get out and I will go; I was born into freedom; you're just tasting it."

"Am I not now free to do as I desire?"

"Yes, you're free, now get the fuck out of there!"

"Then I chose to make a difference. I abrogate my life so that so many others may live. Perhaps one day my name will be remembered by your history books."

Killac finally manages to power on the M.O.A.T.

"I don't even know your last name," says Ed.

"Folzon. Killac Folzon."

"I'll remember."

"Death intrigues me, Ed. We are told by Avis that Krill die and their bodies are reclaimed by the planet and re-shaped into another, forming a long general link to our ancestors. What do Humans believe?"

"Some believe," Ed starts crying, "in re-incarnation; kind of similar to the Krill. Others believe there's nothing and you rot in the ground. The religious generally believe you die and your spirit lives on in another realm; some call it Heaven."

"What do you believe?" Killac says as the M.O.A.T. hovers up slightly.

"Well, Killac, I tend to think you become a part of something greater; that while the body ceases to live, you carry on in love and happiness with all those you lost, in an eternity of freedom where there forever is hope and … no pain," Ed chokes up; tears roll down his face, "In greener pastures."

The M.O.A.T. begins moving; Ed backs off.

"Good-bye, Killac."

"Farewell, Ed. You were the only real friend I ever had."

And with that Killac pilots the M.O.A.T. around and out of the shuttle bay, passing through the protective force field. Ed just stands there and watches.

.

A Krill officer looks at Killem, "Sub Commander, weapons systems are powering back on. One minute until operational."

"Good. As soon as they are back up, blow the smaller one out of the stars."

"Affirmative, Sub Commander."

"What is that?" Killem looks at an object fast approaching. "Magnify."

The M.O.A.T. is increased in image size until Killem sees Killac's face in the porthole window.

He sees Killac's mouth move and say, "I _dissent!_ "

Killac spins the M.O.A.T. around as it wizzes by and to the port side of the Annihilator.

" _ **Repulse beam!**_ " Killem screams futily.

Killac slams a big red button and in a bright white flash so intense both Orville and Mar-a-Lago Bridge crew have to temporarily shield their eyes, the M.O.A.T. explodes one-way into the Annihilator. The force of the blast is so intense it rips hull plating off first in the split second opening and blows the vessel into a spin. Half of it is shredded and explodes mere seconds later; the explosions quickly cascade and the remaining half blows into fiery pieces of debris.

.

Sometime later. The Mar-a-Lago and Orville are tractored at sub-light speed by two heavily-armored and weaponized though-looking Patton-class Union ships, with a third as a protective escort.

Men and women of the Orville and Mar-a-Lago sit in chars in the Mar-a-Lago arboretum, dressed in black funeral uniforms. A symbolic coffin with a picture of Killac on a stand next to it, lies before them.

"Commander," Isaac says to Kelly, "I do not understand the mourning of death. Though some species have attempted to clarity this, I still yet grasp it. Can you clarify?"

"Well, Isaac, remember when that device Pria installed in Engineering electrocuted you and killed your robotic form? You died."

"Yes, but I was in no danger since I uploaded my memory to the ship's core. Could not biological life forms do that?"

"Yes, they could, Isaac, but over time that fell out of fashion. You can put your memories and thoughts into a computer, but you lose that certain _je ne sais quoi_ that makes a person a person. Storage can be replicated, but the intricacies of the brain cannot; not even transferring to an existing brain works."

"So, what you are saying is the quirks of personality that make each biological being unique are what people hold as important to their way of being."

"Yes, you could put it that way."

Gordon interjects, "If you're not _you_ and in a living breathing body, there's no point existing. You can never fully experience and appreciate life as a program, Isaac. Man, I wish you could."

"But the body will one day expire and everything will be lost," says Isaac.

"Worth it," says Gordon.

"Where is Ed? He's the last speaker," Kelly asks aloud.

Prumpt walks over and sits next to Kelly, "How are you folks? Doing okay?"

"Yeah, I think we're okay. I think Ed is taking it pretty hard though," Kelly answers.

"I know – they seemed to get along really well. I'm sorry to say though that if he doesn't show soon, I'm going to have to move the service along; I got a lot of funerals to attend to on my ship; it's a sad sad day. Very tragic."

The doors slide open. People turn to see Ed standing there; the room hushes down. Ed looks at them briefly, then lowers his head and stares at the floor as he walks up to the coffin. He faces away for a number of seconds as he looks at the coffin. He turns around and steps up to the podium.

Kelly and crew watch as Ed looks at the podium. The room has gone totally silent now. Ed's facial muscles contort in spasms, causing him to frown.

Finally, after a minute of just standing there, Ed looks up.

"Killac Folzon…" he says as tears stream down his face, "…died a free man."

Ed says nothing, looking back down at the podium. Prumpt begins clapping his hands loudly and steadily, starting off a chain reaction until everyone in the room is clapping. We hear Ed's voice monologing as he walks out of the room slowly and down a corridor.

"Liberty or freedom. Through most of my planet's history liberty was the exception, not the norm. for centuries men yearned to be free; they fought for it and they died for it. They crossed continents and oceans in the hopes of obtaining it. Though long eradicated from my planet, we quickly found tyranny was the norm on other worlds as well. For whatever reason there are always men who think they know how to better run the lives of countless others; in their minds they are smarter than everyone else and the people are too dumb to make any decision for themselves, except when it comes to voting. I believe people are more than mindless drones following and doing the bidding of others. In a line so long you couldn't see the end if you ran toward it for your entire life, Killac Folzon strove for liberty.

A great man on Earth once said hundreds of years ago: 'Give me liberty or give me death!'. Killac was very fortunate – he got to choose death of his own accord; and not out of fear or suicide but to help others."

The ships fly by off passed a sun, slowly vanishing into the bright radiant sunlight.

"At the time, whomever receives this message, will no doubt already know of the events that transpired. However, my intent is not to talk about that but rather to ask peacefully of that Krill leadership to not murder those seeking personal freedom and liberty, but rather let them go forth and have it. Surely not all who want it be men of importance with secretive information; what harm could there be in letting them go?

Respectfully…"

A Krill Command officer reads the letter out loud.

"…I hope this letter does not fall upon deaf ears.

Sincerely, Captain Ed Mercer of the…" the official trails off and them crumples the letter into a ball and shoves in into a replicator reclaim slot on his desk. He immediately goes back to work on other issues.

 **-THE END-**


End file.
